Nursing Intuition: It’s Not Woo, It’s a Clinical Superpower
Let’s get something straight:
Nurses aren’t “just guessing.”
That gut feeling you’ve had about a crashing patient or a treatment plan that doesn’t sit right? That’s intuition—and it’s time we stop brushing it off like a side effect of stress and caffeine.
In our latest RNegade podclass, we sit down with Jen Johnson, a nurse with 17 years of experience and a fierce advocate for recognizing intuition as the undervalued but essential skill it truly is. And spoiler: she’s not just speaking from experience—she’s done the research.
🧠 Intuition Is Built-In (You’ve Just Been Told to Ignore It)
According to Jen, intuition is as natural as hunger or thirst. It's a biological and neurological function, not a mystical download from the nursing gods. But thanks to a hyper-rational, protocol-heavy medical model, most nurses have been trained to second-guess their own instincts—especially if they can’t chart it or quote a study to back it up on the spot.
Newsflash: Just because it’s not in the textbook doesn’t mean it’s not valid.
📉 The Cost of Ignoring Intuition in Practice
Jen’s research found that critical care nurses—those in fast-paced, high-stakes environments—often rely heavily on intuition to make rapid decisions. And guess what? In most cases, their intuitive judgments aligned with the right clinical outcomes. Studies like Rew & Barrow’s (2007) have shown that intuition in expert nurses is not only real, but it plays a critical role in clinical judgment and patient safety.
💥 COVID Blew the Doors Wide Open
For many nurses, the pandemic was the great awakening. When protocols failed to keep up, and evidence was still catching up to real-world chaos, intuition stepped in. Jen shares how COVID forced her—and many others—to confront their own mortality, reflect on their purpose, and lean into the deep, wordless knowing that often guided the best decisions.
🔄 A Holistic, Interdisciplinary View of Patient Care
This isn’t just about “feelings.” Jen explores how blending nursing with insights from psychology, neuroscience, and even metaphysics creates a more complete, human-centered approach to care. If we’re going to talk about whole patient wellness, we need to start trusting the whole nurse too.
🧑⚕️ New Nurses, This One’s For You
Here’s where it gets real. New nurses are often taught to doubt themselves. Follow the algorithm. Stick to the checklist. But what if we created environments where intuition was recognized as clinical currency? Where new grads were taught to pair protocols with their instincts instead of burying them? We’d probably see fewer errors, less burnout, and a hell of a lot more confident nurses.
So Why Does This Matter?
Because nursing intuition isn’t anecdotal.
It’s not soft.
It’s not unscientific.
It’s neuroscience, pattern recognition, and clinical wisdom gained through experience. And when we empower nurses to tune in instead of shut it down, we don’t just improve care—we elevate the profession.
🎧 Listen to the full episode with Jen Johnson now
🎓 Earn CE credit for reconnecting with your inner clinical badass.
💥 Because intuition isn’t fluffy—it’s fierce.